Zimpapers Logo

Senior Court Reporter
TWO Tsholotsho Rural District Council senior officials who allegedly connived with a Bulawayo car dealer to defraud the local authority of $32,000 appeared in court yesterday on fraud charges.Jericho Moyo, 48, who is the programme manager for Campfire project in Tsholotsho, Martin Framer Ndlovu, 50, finance officer of Tsholotsho Rural District Council as well as Kennias Msipa Zangari, 60, director of DAP Diesel Injection and Electrical Services in Bulawayo, pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove.

They were remanded to September 4 for judgment.

Prosecuting, Jeremiah Mutsindikwa told the court that on December 18, 2009, a Tsholotsho District Campfire meeting was held at the Tsholotsho Rural District Hall where councillors from 10 districts resolved that the local authourity should purchase two Land Cruisers for the local Campfire project.

“After the meeting, Moyo and Ndlovu allegedly hatched a plan to defraud the RDC of its funds. On January 12, 2010, Zangari raised a fictitious invoice from his company purporting that he had two Toyota Land Cruisers to sell to Tsholotsho RDC at a price of $26,000,” Mutsindikwa said.

The court was told that Zangari then handed over the fictitious invoice to Moyo, Ndlovu and one Sam Muleya, who has since been acquitted.

The invoice was allegedly used by the pair to influence the release of funds amounting to $56,000 from the council’s CBZ account in Bulawayo.

“On January 12, Moyo, Ndlovu and Muleya are alleged to have fraudulently applied to CBZ Bank Limited on a Tsholotsho RDC requisition form for the release of $56,000 from the account”.

The court heard that on January 14, Moyo went to Bulawayo accompanied by Campfire chairperson, Bernard Moyo, who was to witness the withdrawal of the funds. On arrival in Bulawayo they proceeded to CBZ bank and withdrew $56,000 in cash.

“After withdrawing the funds, they then proceeded to Zangari’s place where the chairperson was introduced to Zangari as the car dealer who sold Tsholotsho RDC the two vehicles.

“On January 15, Zangari went to Cox’s Car Sales in Bulawayo and bought a 1990 model Toyota Land Cruiser for $11,000 on behalf of Tsholotsho RDC and an agreement of sale was entered.

“On January 19, Zangari went to Tikays’ Car Sales in Bulawayo and purchased a 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser model for $13,000 and an agreement of sale was made between the two parties.

“Zangari delivered the two used trucks to Tsholotsho RDC,” said Mutsindikwa.

Both trucks cost $24,000 and the trio pocketed $32,000 which they shared among themselves, the court heard.

The State will seek to prove that Moyo and Ndlovu purchased the vehicles without following laid down procedures for the procurement of council assets.

Their crime came to light after council faced challenges in registering the vehicles with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.

Former Tsholotsho senator, Believe Gaule, who is cited as the informant in the case, caused the arrest of the two.

However, in their defence, Moyo and Ndlovu argued that there were no tender procurement procedures to be followed at the time of the alleged offence.